Brief: Findings From Scale-up Evaluation of the REAL Fathers Program In Uganda

This evaluation of the REAL Fathers initiative sought to assess its effectiveness in preventing intimate partner violence (IPV) and harsh discipline of young children, along with related indicators. A randomized controlled trial was carried out in sites across Northern Uganda and in the Karamoja region of Uganda. The study included a quantitative survey with eligible young fathers at baseline (2016), endline (2017) and one-year post intervention (2018) to assess program effectiveness. This brief highlights changes from the survey findings on the five key indicators: decreased harsh discipline of young children; decreased IPV perpetration; increased positive parenting practices; increased parent-child interactions; and increased use of voluntary modern family planning. In both sites, outcomes were analyzed looking at the difference between control and intervention arms over time (baseline, endline, one-year post intervention).